But, right now, it is one of the most peaceful places on earth for me as I sit at The Deck on the wooden deck over the Saigon River that gives the place its name.

This low-slung, high-end bar attracts the expat cocktail set that assemble at sundown to watch the water lilies float by. It's a strong current and you might see coconuts and a few less desirable articles also travel downstream but, with a lychee and coriander gimlet in hand, you won't mind. Also worth a try is the dragon margarita, introducing dragon fruit and ginger to this classic cocktail. Small plates, by chef Cao Lam Gia, might be beef carpaccio with yuzu dressing or fish cakes with sour cream.

Tonight I am on a Big Night Out in HCMC, and while it is off to a chilled-out start I will later clamber through a kitchen to get to some live music and have some of the best food of my visit in a vacant lot at the wee small hours.

My next stop is a short cab ride from the tree-lined expat area of District 2, where The Deck is located, to a craft brewer that is winning accolades across the world as well as the city.

Pasteur Brewing Company – on the first floor in a laneway off Pasteur Street in District 1 – was started by two friends from the US who moved to Ho Chi Minh City. It's an intimate space with a bar made from recycled wood palings and walls covered with murals dedicated to the art of brewing. Beers change regularly but there is usually an Asian twist such as the spicy Oolong Tea Pale Ale or the sweetly scented Jasmine IPA. The best way to pick a favourite is to opt for the tasting flight of all six tap beers and order bar snacks such as sourdough pretzels, jambalaya or black-eyed pea hummus – all of which come with recommended beer pairings.

Time to get my live music on and it's another quick cab trip to District 3, which is known for its nightlife. Yoko is a popular live music bar where you might wander in to see a young Vietnamese Janis Joplin belting out rock classics while patrons sit around at tables and comfy lounges – it's dinner theatre fronted by a prog rock cover band.

The decor runs to a whiter shade of pale giving it a retro spacey vibe, but the lights are so low you have to squint to find your beer. The bare-brick bar serves up local brews, such as Saigon, while the rear wall has the names of hip-hop artists scrawled all over it. Confused? Me too, but Yoko is also a lot of fun. Tonight however the crowd is thin, so on a hot tip from a photographer mate who used to live here, I venture to nearby Acoustic Bar.

My friend is on the money. I can hear the music reverberating down the tiny lane and the crowd outside is a good omen, but it turns out the place is so crowded the doorman suggests I try a different way in. I am directed up a precarious stairway with no bannister, past stray cats sitting on ledges, to enter via the kitchen on the opposite side – but the trek is worth it. Packed wall to wall, the crowd is friendly and the waitstaff manage to find you in the scrum to bring you your beer – it's like table service, but without tables. Do you fancy hearing a local band belting out a rendition of Gangnam Style? How about a note-perfect version of Midnight Oil's Beds Are Burning? Seek Acoustic Bar out.

Cocktails. Tick. Craft beer. Tick. Live music. Double tick. My next stop is HCMC's top spot for clubbers, Xu Lounge. Here, back in District 1, patrons get suited and booted to hang out at this Ho Chi Minh hotspot, a louche and sultry space with lampshades clinging to the ceiling like giant, luminous barnacles. A young crowd, both expats and locals, knocks back creations such as coconut martinis or passionfruit caipiroskas. Upstairs, decorated with football-sized silver spheres, Xu attracts the eccentric fine diner interested in modern Vietnamese food.

I am hungry but not keen on white tablecloths so, on the walk back to the hotel, I discover what might be the best place yet. 5KU Station is a ramshackle barbecue joint that stops me dead in my tracks. Tables and chairs made out of pallets are spread out in a vacant lot with just some shade cloth for cover, and the graffitied walls of the building either side ring with crowd noise.

In the evening, strings of fairy lights give the gritty surrounds a backyard party vibe. Grab a cheap and cheerful Saigon beer and team it with some ca trung, a small fish deep-fried whole with a nuoc cham dipping sauce, or a plate of pork fries.

It's late now and I retire to my hotel and listen to the street sounds – beeping, buzzing, drilling and shouting, and loudspeakers echoing the plaintive wails of "call and answer" sellers who are shilling rice dumplings from their pushbikes. Thanks for a great night out, HCMC.

TRIP NOTES

MORE INFORMATION

vietnamtourism.com.

GETTING THERE

Several airlines fly from Melbourne and Sydney to Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City. Operators include: virginaustralia.com, thaiairways.com, vietnamairlines.com, qantas.com.au and cathaypacific.com.au.

STAYING THERE

Sanouva Saigon Hotel

This oasis has a prime location next to the thriving Ben Thanh market. The hotel offers 53 rooms, free reliable Wi-Fi and knowledgeable, friendly staff.

177 Ly Tu Trong St, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1; http://sanouvahotel.com.

EAT AND DRINK

Hang out at The Deck, 38 Nguyen U Di, Thao Dien, An Phu, District 2; thedecksaigon.com; try craft beer at Pasteur Brewing Company, 144 Pasteur Street, District 1; facebook.com/PasteurStreetBrewing; get some live music at Yoko, 22A Nguyen Thi Dieu, District 3 and Acoustic Bar, 6e Ngo Thoi Nhiem Street, District 3. Go clubbing at Xu Lounge, 71 Hai Ba Trung, Ben Nghe, District 1; xusaigon.com or grab a late bite at 5KU station, 27 Le Thanh Thon, District 1.

Paul Chai travelled at his own expense.